Prolonged suffering for families, survivors of meningitis outbreak

Jan. 29, 2013

Nashville, Tenn. resident Joan Peay, pictured here with her husband George, has been in and out of the emergency room since she was infected with fungal meningitis and initially hospitalized in November 2012. She expects have a procedure in January 2013 to find out the severity of the remaining fungal infection in her spinal fluid. Though her stomach pain has improved, Peay said she still has trouble eating. COURTESY OF PEAY FAMILY/GANNETT

Written by

Walter F. Roche Jr.
and Nate Rau

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- For those fighting to recover and the families of those who died from meningitis brought on by a tainted steroid injection, the pain and suffering wrought by the outbreak could continue indefinitely.

Nationwide, the outbreak has sickened 678 and killed 44. State and federal regulators say it was caused by impure fungus-ridden methylprednisolone acetate, the medication administered to relieve severe back and joint pain. The drugs came from New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts.

Fourteen people in Tennessee have died from tainted steroid shots. Many more ...